FTA: Finally, if many of the Arab states are in such disarray, then what happened to the Arabs' sworn enemy (Israel)? Israel now has the most advanced research facilities, top universities and advanced infrastructure. Many Arabs don't know that the life expectancy of the Palestinians living in Israel is far longer than many Arab states and they enjoy far better political and social freedom than many of their Arab brothers. Even the Palestinians living under Israeli occupation in the West Bank and Gaza Strip enjoy more political and social rights than some places in the Arab World. Wasn't one of the judges who sent a former Israeli president to jail is an Israeli-Palestinian?

I did not know that.

/Also, truth is a very bitter pill to swallow, especially if you've been living with the lie for more than half a century.

Yeah they never helped their Arab brothers like building a sewage treatment plant that was destroyed by air force. Yeah that will teach them. Talk about collective punishment. I wonder if the Jews have ever experienced this?

Muta:Giltric: They arabs were always keen on rescuing the land from the jews....

When was the last time an Arab country invaded Israel?I don't think arab leaders are that keen on rescuing the land any more.

Israel has served as a convenient distraction for the various leaders of the region and their mismanagement. It should be telling exactly how unstable the region is by the fact that Israel isn't enough anymore, and the various nations are collapsing on themselves.

Excellent article, arab reporter actually acknowledging reality and also published by an arab news site ? in public ? This is extremely rare.This guy has balls of steel. I hope he won't get hurt for speaking the truth.

TappingTheVein:Excellent article, arab reporter actually acknowledging reality and also published by an arab news site ? in public ? This is extremely rare.This guy has balls of steel. I hope he won't get hurt for speaking the truth.

Alonjar:Why is it that Israel was given Jerusalem anyhow? Was it just a big middle finger from the catholic church in the power vacuum after WW2?

"Haha told you dirty arabs we'd take that shiat back one way or another!"

Had nothing to do with the catholic church and you might want to see a therapist if you see a catholic conspiracy everywhere.

But the reason Israel now has Jerusalem is because of the Palestinians and Arabs themselves. The initial Jewish boundary state of Israel was much smaller and Jerusalem was squarely in Palestine. However, the war of 1948 with the Arabs changed all that since the Israelis won and they decided to say "to the victors, spoils" and claimed virtually everything that is Israel today. Below is a good map showing the change in territory coverage from 1947-pre war to post-war and how Jerusalem became Israeli property.

mauricecano:Alonjar: Why is it that Israel was given Jerusalem anyhow? Was it just a big middle finger from the catholic church in the power vacuum after WW2?

"Haha told you dirty arabs we'd take that shiat back one way or another!"

Had nothing to do with the catholic church and you might want to see a therapist if you see a catholic conspiracy everywhere.

But the reason Israel now has Jerusalem is because of the Palestinians and Arabs themselves. The initial Jewish boundary state of Israel was much smaller and Jerusalem was squarely in Palestine. However, the war of 1948 with the Arabs changed all that since the Israelis won and they decided to say "to the victors, spoils" and claimed virtually everything that is Israel today. Below is a good map showing the change in territory coverage from 1947-pre war to post-war and how Jerusalem became Israeli property.

Girion47:Think about the money we've spent on wars outside our borders, what could it have gone to?

For the cost of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars the US could have fitted every house in the country with either solar power or a geothermal heating/cooling system and had a few hundred billion dollars left over for hookers and blow.

For the cost of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars the US could have fitted every house in the country with either solar power or a geothermal heating/cooling system and had a few hundred billion dollars left over for hookers and blow.

Instead we gave 39+million people a chance at freedom and self determination Why do you hate brown people?

For the cost of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars the US could have fitted every house in the country with either solar power or a geothermal heating/cooling system and had a few hundred billion dollars left over for hookers and blow.

The other major tragedy of war: Opportunity CostIn reality if we didn't go to war that money would probably not have been spent. But, if we wound back the clock and were told we absolutely HAD to spend the money, major infrastructure improvements would have been the way to go.

/I always thought the criticism that solar is not a good power source because of the space requirements and transmission difficulty was a ridiculous argument when there are vast amounts of surface area on the roofs of millions of homes... Sure, it can't be your only power source, but who the hell was saying that?

For the cost of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars the US could have fitted every house in the country with either solar power or a geothermal heating/cooling system and had a few hundred billion dollars left over for hookers and blow.

Yes, the Middle East has violent oppressive dictators. Yes, these dictators commit horrible human rights violations. Yes, the Holy Land was violently taken away from the Arabs (which, if the tables were turned, Christians and Jews would react with the same righteous indignation).Lets not pretend though these dictators maintain power through their hatred of Israel. The countries with oppressive dictators also contain the world's most precious commodity.....oil. The rest of the world tolerates the actions of these dictators because oil drives the global economy, and the rest of the world refuses to move beyond fossil fuels. As long as we continue to purchase fossil fuels from countries with oppressive regimes, the oppressive regimes will continue to exist. Oil is power. Money is power. Yeah, we like to run around saying, "Look how horrible these leaders treat their people", but it's just lip service. These countries turn off the spigot and life as we know it is much harder. We all have our cross to bear regarding Middle Eastern dictators.

Joe Blowme:Girion47: Joe Blowme: FTA: "why didn't the Arab states spend their assets on education, health care and the infrastructures instead of wars?"

Death cults tend to have that effect on people, yea islam!!!

yea USA!!!!!

Indeed

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b283/Girion47/subiekayak.jpg

I fail to see what a pic of my car and kayak have to do with the U.S. wasting trillions of dollars killing people on the opposite side of the globe, developing fighter jets that will never be used, maintaining tanks that will rust, and keeping ww2 era boats in combat condition when a speedboat with C4 will take them out, or strip searching people at airports.